How to change Start menu pins layout on Windows 11

Windows 11 22H2 now lets you show more pins in the Start menu, and in this guide, we'll show you how.

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@Pureinfotech
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Windows 11 22H2 Start pins layout
Windows 11 22H2 Start pins layout

Windows 11 has a redesigned Start menu that ditches the Live Tiles for a minimalistic design with traditional icons for apps and recommended items.

Although it’s a straightforward design, the new Start menu lacks many of the customization options as the classic version. For example, you can’t resize it and won’t see live updates for apps. However, starting with version 22H2, Windows 11 is adding more options to customize the experience, including the ability to group apps into folders, and it’s now possible to change the layout to show more pins.

This guide will teach you the steps to customize the Start menu layout to gain more space to pin more apps.

Customize Start menu pins layout on Windows 11

To change the Start menu layout to allow more pins on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start on Windows 11.

  2. Click on Personalization.

  3. Click the Start tab.

  4. Under the “Layout” section, select the layout of the pins:

    • More pins – adds two additional rows of pins per page and shows only one row for recommended items.
    • Default – shows three rows of pins and three rows of recommended items.
    • More recommendations – adds an extra row of recommendations and shows only two rows of pins.

    Start menu pins layouts

Once you complete the steps, the next time you open the Start menu, you will be able to pin more apps per page.

Starting with version 22H2 and later releases, Microsoft adds a Group Policy option to remove all the recommendation items from the Start menu. However, it’s only available for Windows 11 SE.

If you don’t see the layout settings, you are not running the version of Windows that supports this feature. The layouts are available starting on Windows 11 22H2 and later releases.

About the author
Avatar for Mauro Huculak

Mauro Huculak is a Windows How-To Expert who started Pureinfotech in 2010 as an independent online publication. He has also been a Windows Central contributor for nearly a decade. Mauro has over 15 years of experience writing comprehensive guides and creating professional videos about Windows and software, including Android and Linux. Before becoming a technology writer, he was an IT administrator for seven years. In total, Mauro has over 21 years of combined experience in technology. Throughout his career, he achieved different professional certifications from Microsoft (MSCA), Cisco (CCNP), VMware (VCP), and CompTIA (A+ and Network+), and he has been recognized as a Microsoft MVP for many years. You can follow him on X (Twitter), YouTube, LinkedIn and About.me. Email him at [email protected].